Attachment for chairs



(Modem O. S. BELL.

V ATTIAGHMENT'FOR CHAIRS. No. 258,354. Patented May 23,1882.

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-fj ATTORNEYS N. FErins. Phalwlithagnpher. Walhingfun, D.c.

UN TED STATES PATENT cam.

OHARLES S. BELL, OF- BEAVER FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA.

ATTACHMENT'FOR CHAIRS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 258,354, dated May 23, 11882.

Application filed November 5, 1881. (ModeL) p citizen of the United States, and a resident of Beaver Falls, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new' and valuable Improvement in Attachments for Chairs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of thedl'awings is arepresentatiou of a perspective of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional detail view. Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the device in difi'erent positions.

This invention has relation to writing or drawing. attachments for arm-chairs; and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement of the flanged arm-plate and its slot, having a branch extending down the flange, the supporting-arm of the attachment and its stud, the shouldered bearing for the hinged tablet, the shouldered wooden pawl pivoted in the forked end of the bearing, and the vibratory ink-receptacle, all as hereinafter set forth.

In the annexed drawings, the letter A designates the arm ofa chair. To this arm is socured, by means of screws a, the plate B,which is made with alcvel bearing-surface, b, and an outer flange, c. In the bearing portion 12 of the plate is formed a longitudinal slot, d, and communicatin g therewith isa lateral branch slot, e, which extends out to the flange c, and then vertically down in said flange, this branch slot forming an angle at the marginal corner 9 of the plate, as indicated in the drawings.

0 represents thesupporting-arm of the tablet D. Under its end this arm is provided with a headed stud, h, which is usually in the form of a screw, and is designed to engage the slot of the bearing-plate B and connect the supporting-arm thereto. The arm 0 is formed with an inclined upper surface, It, and is obliquely shouldered at l, and beyond this shoulder an oblique extension, m, is formed, serving as a bearing for the tablet when folded down thereon. The end 1) of this extensionbearing is forked, and in the fork is pivoted a wooden pawl, q, having lateral shoulders r, which rest on the branches of the forked end 19, when the pawl is raised to support the tablet by engagement with its under ratchet, s, in an inclined position. ThetabletD is hinged at t to the oblique shoulder l of the supporting-arm, and it can be adjusted by means of the pawl and ratchet to different inclinations; or it can be folded down on the bearing m of the arm. i

E represents a box or receptacle for ink, pens, or pencils, which is pivoted to the under side of the tablet, near its outer margin, and is designed to be moved outward in such a manner as to expose a portion of its cavity when necessary. When moved under the tablet sufliciently the box is entirely closed by the tablet, which forms the top thereof. The box is prevented from moving too far under the tablet, and thereby interfering with the pawland-ratchet engagement, by means of a stop, a.

When the tablet is not in use the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet and the tablet, with its arm, turned outward. The holdingstud his then brought into the lateral or branch slot 0 of the plate B and the arm moved outward over the angle 9 until its stud passes into the vertical portion of the slot in the flange. In this position the tablet will hang by its arm, by the side of the chair, in such a manner that it will be out of the way, and yet easily reached by the occupant, if required for use.

When in position for use the longitudinal slot (1 enables the tablet to be adjusted forward or backward to suit the convenience of the writer or reader.

A ball-and-socket joint used in connection with a slotted piece to permit the tablet to be dropped down out of the way when not in use is not new. A piece hinged to the lower outer edge of the ch air-arm and adapted to be braced in position flush with the top of the chair-arm by a hinged brace resting by its lower end on the upper round of the chair has been slotted longitudinally and provided with a pivoted IOC under out of the way when not in use is also old. None of the constructions is broadly claimed hereinafter.

Having described thisinvention,whatIelairn, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the flanged armplate having the slot d, and flange-slot e, of the supporting-arm G, having the hinged tablet, and the headed stud h, engaging the slot of the arm-plate, substantially as specified.

2. The supporting-arm 0, having the inclined surface 76, oblique shoulder l, and obspecified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES SOHREYER BELL.

' Witnesses:

E. M. FESSENDEN, W. O. PANGBURN. 

